Railcard renewal - demanding mobile number

[Railwaycat]

Just renewed my Senior Railcard. Despite ticking the plastic card option, it demanded (no choice) that I enter a mobile number...what if I didn't have one? What if I simply didn't (with me it's a matter of principle) want to give it?

This is the second time today that this has happened, I tried to book a blood test online, all looked ok, "would you prefer to get a security code by email" - yes, which went well...then the next page demanded a mobile number with no option! (ended up just phoning my surgery, they booked it for me). Yet booked concert tickets with Ticketmaster, and I was able to enter my landline number for a code - got an automated call straight away, sorted.

Let Railcard know in the comments box what I thought.

 

[TUC]

Did you try entering a landline number and see if it was accepted?

 

[Adam Williams]

There are plenty of Railcard retailers out there that do not require a phone number. TrainSplit's is one; I'm sure this applies to other TPRs too.

Luckily the nature of railcard retail means that, for the most part, people can vote with their feet and simply switch to a preferred third-party retailer instead.

 

[TUC]

This is another of these issues where I don't think the nature of the query aligns with the reality of day to day life where giving one's mobile number is just a normal part of ordering items. After all, what's the point of having a phone to contact you if you don't want to give the number when ordering an item?

 

[Adam Williams]

giving one's mobile number is just a normal part of ordering items

To be fair, I don't think the fact we've normalised this over the last decade or so is a good argument.

Why does an online store need my mobile phone number to send me a card or envelope w/ Royal Mail? Why should I have any confidence they're going to secure that personal information properly? A very disappointing trend, and I would wager it's a reasonably significant driver behind people receiving the volume of spam calls and SMS messages. It never used to be mandatory.

 

[HughT]

Most of these systems aren't set up to be at all clever. Just a series of zeros is often all it takes to kid them you've provided a "mobile number"...

 

[TUC]

To be fair, I don't think the fact we've normalised this over the last decade or so is a good argument.

Why does an online store need my mobile phone number to send me a card or envelope w/ Royal Mail? Why should I have any confidence they're going to secure that personal information properly? A very disappointing trend, and I would wager it's a reasonably significant driver behind people receiving the volume of spam calls and SMS messages. It never used to be mandatory.

I've had messages previously advising when my railcard has been dispatched, which is helpful and reassuring (I say 'previously' because my railcard is digital now. I've got quite enough pieces of plastic cluttering up my wallet.)

 

[Adam Williams]

I've had messages previously advising when my railcard has been dispatched, which is helpful and reassuring (I say 'previously' because my railcard is digital now. I've got quite enough pieces of plastic cluttering up my wallet.)

A useful feature, but no reason in 2025 why it should be SMS and not a push notification/email.

 

[Railwaycat]

This is another of these issues where I don't think the nature of the query aligns with the reality of day to day life where giving one's mobile number is just a normal part of ordering items. After all, what's the point of having a phone to contact you if you don't want to give the number when ordering an item?

I have got both landline and mobile, but I only want to be contacted on the landline, and I'm not being given the choice - why should I have to give any number for something that's coming through the post? They have my email, and that's how I want to be contacted if it's needed.

I now just discovered that the tickets I ordered from Ticketmaster are on my phone, and "Your phone is your ticket"....no, it isn't, that's a landline....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Nov 2025 ==

Did you try entering a landline number and see if it was accepted?

Tried that many times on different sites, apart from Ticketmaster, it hasn't been...and then Ticketmaster informs me that my phone is my ticket...

 

[DeverseSam]

Martin Lewis said to use 0333 888 8888 for this scenario.

Not for concert tickets though, that’s different. Ticket touts are known to sell the actual phone containing the ticket as that somehow helps the person enter.

 

[PZ 08895]

UK mobile numbers in the 077009nnnnn series are reserved for TV / film use etc and do not actually exist in reality. So a mobile number in this range can be used without fear of it being a stranger's mobile number if a site demands a mobile number but there is no legitimate reason for them to call you by phone. Landline area code 01632 is also 'fake'.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not for concert tickets though, that’s different. Ticket touts are known to sell the actual phone containing the ticket as that somehow helps the person enter.

Those you have to show within the Ticketmaster app or add as an NFC Apple/Google pass, which is made clear when you purchase, so I'm surprised the OP has got caught up on this and they will need to contact Ticketmaster to get them linked to their actual mobile number.

 

[peter.owen]

UK mobile numbers in the 077009nnnnn series are reserved for TV / film use etc and do not actually exist in reality. So a mobile number in this range can be used without fear of it being a stranger's mobile number if a site demands a mobile number but there is no legitimate reason for them to call you by phone. Landline area code 01632 is also 'fake'.

According to Ofcom it's only 07700900nnn and 01632 960nnn that can be used in this way. Similar numbers are available for several geographic areas. There's a list of them all on the Ofcom website.

 

[snail]

Martin Lewis said to use 0333 888 8888 for this scenario.

Not for concert tickets though, that’s different. Ticket touts are known to sell the actual phone containing the ticket as that somehow helps the person enter.

Ticketmaster type mobile/wallet tickets use a rolling code to invalidate screenshots. I think digital railcards are similar.

 

[CarltonA]

I've had retailers asking for my email "for the receipt", I asked for the paper one instead.

My car dealer tries to insist on being paid by a link they send to customers rather than a card payment on the premises. They sent it to my landline, d'oh. They dusted down their card machine after I played the technophobe old geyser.

 

[soccermad]

Just renewed my Senior Railcard. Despite ticking the plastic card option, it demanded (no choice) that I enter a mobile number...what if I didn't have one? What if I simply didn't (with me it's a matter of principle) want to give it?

This is the second time today that this has happened, I tried to book a blood test online, all looked ok, "would you prefer to get a security code by email" - yes, which went well...then the next page demanded a mobile number with no option! (ended up just phoning my surgery, they booked it for me). Yet booked concert tickets with Ticketmaster, and I was able to enter my landline number for a code - got an automated call straight away, sorted.

Let Railcard know in the comments box what I thought.

I believe that we all need to recognise the reality and give our mobile numbers if you want to use that retailer.
If you have nothing to hide no problem surely ?

 

[Tester]

I believe that we all need to recognise the reality and give our mobile numbers if you want to use that retailer.
If you have nothing to hide no problem surely ?

What is the reality?

 

[urbophile]

I've had retailers asking for my email "for the receipt", I asked for the paper one instead.

Sorry to prolong the off topic digression, but John Lewis asked for my email address (which they should have had already) and then got it wrong. So I didn't get a receipt and they tell me there is no way of giving me one.

 

[soccermad]

What is the reality?

The reality that if you want to use that retailer you will have to share your details

 

[Railwaycat]

I believe that we all need to recognise the reality and give our mobile numbers if you want to use that retailer.
If you have nothing to hide no problem surely ?

You do realise that not everyone actually has a mobile phone?
Brother in law doesn't, relies on his wife. My wife only has a basic phone, not a smart one. Why do Railcard need a mobile number if I've ordered a physical card - which, incidentally, is on it's way (not 10 days at all!) - got the email today, so if they've no use for it ,why ask for it? What do they intend to do with it?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 19 Nov 2025 ==

Those you have to show within the Ticketmaster app or add as an NFC Apple/Google pass, which is made clear when you purchase, so I'm surprised the OP has got caught up on this and they will need to contact Ticketmaster to get them linked to their actual mobile number.

I opted to print the tickets, not use the app.

 

[Mainline421]

Just renewed my Senior Railcard. Despite ticking the plastic card option, it demanded (no choice) that I enter a mobile number...what if I didn't have one? What if I simply didn't (with me it's a matter of principle) want to give it?

Then you buy at a station where it's not required

 

[Tester]

The reality that if you want to use that retailer you will have to share your details

Guess what!

 

[1D54]

Give your number and if they start ringing /messaging you then block them.

 

[AlterEgo]

The reality that if you want to use that retailer you will have to share your details

You don't though. You can fill in false details.

The sooner retailers realise that reality the better, etc etc.

 

[Wawanesa]

When I was looking to sell my house in 2015 I contacted an estate agent to give me an idea of its value.

I didn't use them in the end but somehow they managed to give my email address to a company that supplies services (e.g. training courses) to that industry. Ten years later I am still getting advertising emails from that company.

I know I could have done something about it if I was really bothered, but it just shows how long some companies will persist despite the total lack of response from me.

 

[Mark J]

I still use the paper forms for my Railcard purchases, and do not provide a mobile number, or an e-mail address on the form.

Neither information is warranted, unless you wish to to bombarded with junk e-mail.

For 'special offers' - this forum is very good at providing that information.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

UK mobile numbers in the 077009nnnnn series are reserved for TV / film use etc and do not actually exist in reality. So a mobile number in this range can be used without fear of it being a stranger's mobile number if a site demands a mobile number but there is no legitimate reason for them to call you by phone. Landline area code 01632 is also 'fake'.

I just had a thought... why not put a company's own number in the box, so they end up ringing / spamming themselves...?

 

[fandroid]

I just had a thought... why not put a company's own number in the box, so they end up ringing / spamming themselves...?

Great idea! (If you can find an actual phone number for them anywhere)

 

[michaelh]

We ceased our landline earlier this year as the only calls we ever received on that were scams. Those we actually wanted to speak to had our mobile numbers.

 

[styles]

Martin Lewis said to use 0333 888 8888 for this scenario.

Not for concert tickets though, that’s different. Ticket touts are known to sell the actual phone containing the ticket as that somehow helps the person enter.

How does that service 'make' (or rather, not lose) money? They don't charge for the service, but they must have costs associated with running an automated voice response system?

Or is it just subsidised by some other operations?